Animal-feeding device.



TIFOUTS. ANIMAL FEEDING DEViCE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. l9l6.

' Lassma Patented July 10, 1917. FIEA- w T wmummmmw I 7: I

v WITNESSES: l/VVE/VTOH 7922; L7]? F0075.

4 TTOH/VEVS TATES PATENT enrich.

. TAYLOR Fours, or CAMDEN, INDIANA.

ANI AL-FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgdl J 1113! 10, 191.7,

Application filed May 24, 1916. Serial No. 99.491.

2 'feeding devices, and has for its object to provide a device of the character specified or permitting the self feeding of animals,

wherein a feed regulating plate is provided for connection with a bin or the like having a lateral opening and connected to the bin in such manner that the width of the feed opening may be varied..together with a retaining plate for preventing wasting of the feed and the entrance of foreign bodies, the plate being adj ustably connected to rods which are hinged to the feed regulating plate in such manner that the retaining plate will be normally held in approximately vertical position and in spaced relation with respect. to the feed regulating plate and which may be swung upward out of the way to permit cleaning or the like of the feed table.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device, e

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section. and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of av modified construction of connecting bracket.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a bin consisting of a vertical wall 1, and an inclined wall 2 opposite the vertical wall and spaced apart from the bottom 4 of the bin which serves as a feed board to provide a feed opening 3 for permitting the feed to pass from the bin on to the feed board.

A feed regulating plate 6 is provided. the said plate having at its upper edge a laterally extendingflange or rib 7. which is provided with spaced openings 7. The board 6 is adjustably connected with the side 2 by means of the brackets shown. Each of these brackets con crises a body portion 8 having its upper end offset inwardly into contact with the wall 2 of the bin, and secured thereto bymeans of bolts and nuts 9.

The lower end of the bracket 8 is pro- I vided with a lateral lug which fits upon the upper face of the feed board 4 and is secured thereto by a bolt and nut 10. The brackets 8 are arranged. in inclined position, one at each end of the wall 2, and the flange 7 of the feed regulating plate is provided with slots 11 through which the bodies of' the brackets t extend. The feed regulating plate 1s thus" mounted for vertical adjustment on the brackets.

A substantially U-shaped bearing clip 12 is secured to the feed regulating plate at each bracket at the lower end 'of the plate and each bracket slides through the adjacentclip. The clip and the slot 11 thus hold the feed regulating plate in proper position with respect to the bracket.

A latch plate 13 is secured at its lower end to each clip. the said lower end of the latch plate being oliset inwardly to fit against the body of the clip, and the upper end of each plate 13 is bent to form a handle as shown. Each plate has a threaded pin 14 at its upper end which is passed transversely of the plate and is held in place by lock nuts 15 on opposite sides of the plate. and threaded on to the pin, and this pin 14 is adapted to engage one of a series of openings 16 in the adjacent bracket to hold the feed regulating plate in adjusted position. v

The feed regulating plate 6 is of a length to extend from one end wall 5 to the other, and the feed retaining plate 17 is of approximately the same length. This retaining plate 17 has adjustably connected therewith a series of rods 18. each rod being threaded at one end and passed throughan opening in the plate 17 and lock nuts 19 are threaded on to each rod to hold the plate 17 in adjusted position.

Each rod 18 is provided at its opposite end with a hook 20. which is adapted to engage one of the openings 7 of the rib or flange 7. Thus the feed retaining plate is hinged to the feed regulating plate by means of the rods in such manner that normally the plate ing plate and approximately vertical. while at the same time it may be swung upward against the inclined wall of the pin to permit the feed boa rd 4 to be cleaned.

The distance between the feed regulating plate and the feed retaining plate may be varied by means of the lock nuts 19, and when in adjusted position these nuts will hold the parts in such position. The rods 18 are separated far enough to permit the animals free access to the feed on the board 4.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of bracket is shown. In this form the bracket 8" is secured to the inclined wall 2 of the bin by the bolts and nuts 9 and the said bracket passes through the slot orpassage in the flange or rib of the feed regulating plate 6 This plate has the cliplQ" and the latch plate 13', and the latch plate is provided with a pin 14 for engaging the openings in. the bracket.

The lower end of the bracket is however, pointed asshown, and is inserted into the material. of the feed board 4. The lower end of the bracket is thus held against movement in either direction by its engagement with the feed board. In either construction the extent of the opening 3 of Fig. l 01- 3 of Fig. 3, may be varied by moving the feed plateupward or downward, In order vto-move the feed plate it is only necessary to disengage the pin 14 or I l from the bracket to raise or lower the board.

It will be understood that the improved device is a unitary structure and may be applied to any bin without changing the bin- The device will be made in proper sizes for different anim'als,'and the device is also for chickens as well as for horses, cattle and sheep. The plate 17 not onlyprevents escape of the feed but prevents the entrance of foreign matters.

It Will be understood that the feed device may be attached to a vertical wall as well as to an inclined wall and with equal facility. The feed regulating plate when the device is attached to a vertical wall will be vertical. The brackets 8 are arranged in a plane parallel withthe wall to which they are connected. The rods 18 are arranged near enough together to support the plate 17 and effectually interfere with the animals working feed outward and wasting the same.

It des1red,'the plate 6 and attached parts may be marketed independently of the plates 17 and the rods 18, since the said plate-6 'is a complete working device. within itself.

The brackets 8 not only support the feed plate 6 but brace as well the bin walls. lVhen the feed plate 6 is used alone it is obvious that the opening of the bin may be nicely regulated. When the upper ends of the latch plates 13' are pulled outward to release the pins 14 the outward pull tends to lessen the pressure 'of'the feed against the lower edge of the plate 6, thus making it easier to move the said plate into another position with a container having a lateral opening, and

comprising a feed regulating plate for connection with the container, means for adj ustably connecting the plate to the container for permitting the extent of the feed opening-to be varied, said plate having a lateral flange near its top provided .With spaced perforations, a feed retainin plate, rods "adjust ably=connected with tie plate and extending laterally therefrom and having hooks for engaging the perforations of the flange, said {rods being spaced apart from eachother,

2 An automatic feeder for use with contamer's havlng lateral openings, and comprismg a plate, means for connecting the plate to .the container at the opening, a retaining plate, a series of rods hinged onto and flexible with respect to the first plate and rigid with the retaining plate and normally holding the retaining plate in approximate, parallelism with the first-named plate, said last-named plate being adjustable with respect to the connecting rods.

3. An automatic feeder for use with containers having lateral openings, and comprising a plate, means tor connecting the plate to the container at the opening. said plate being adjustable with respect to the said means to vary the extent of the opening, and a retaining plate connected witln the first-named plate 'andsupported thereby in spaced relation. 4. An automatic feeder for use with containers having lateral o ening s and comprising a plate, means or connecting the plate to the container at the opening a retaining plate,.a series of rods hinged to the first plate and rigid with the retaining plateand normally holding the retaining plate in approximate parallelism "with the firstnamed plate,

- TAYLOR FOUTS. Witnesses:

A. A. COOK, ALBERT G. MARTIN. 

